NANP Board Practice Exam

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Prepare for the NANP Board Exam. Study with detailed questions and explanations on key topics. Enhance your understanding and boost your confidence for the exam.

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Which type of fatty acids are characterized by having 2-3 carbons?

LCFA
MCFA
SCFA
VSCFA

The correct answer is: VSCFA

The type of fatty acids characterized by having 2-3 carbons are short-chain fatty acids (SCFA). SCFAs typically consist of fatty acid chains ranging from 2 to 6 carbon atoms. They play significant roles in the human body, particularly in gut health, as they are produced during the fermentation of dietary fibers by gut bacteria. While the other categories of fatty acids, such as long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) and medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA), are important in various contexts, their carbon chain lengths exceed those typical of short-chain fatty acids. For example, LCFA usually have 12 or more carbons, while MCFA contain 6 to 12 carbons. Very short-chain fatty acids (VSCFA) refer to chains shorter than 2 carbons and are not a standard classification in nutritional science. Therefore, short-chain fatty acids is the accurate classification for fatty acids with 2-3 carbons.